What the Future May Bring
by KyokoKitten
Summary: What might happen if Iruka had a child with a woman from another village. Someone from the Mist Village perhaps? Takes off kind of slow at first, but gets better. OC. Now finished! Please let me know what you think
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the creator of Naruto Masashi Kishimoto. The only ones that do not are the OC's that were created by myself or my friends. Please enjoy your read.

-

Chapter One

It was an unusually warm day in the Mist Village. The sun was brightly shining. Iruka was sitting in the stands of a large stadium watching the Chuunin exams. They were taking place in the Mist this time around and Sandaime had invited him to come along and watch.

He had gotten up to get something to eat. He was walking down a long corridor when he saw the most beautiful girl walking toward him. She had long, flowing light blue hair; her eyes were a deep clear blue. She wore a white dress (similar to Sakura's) and her legs were wrapped. She wore a Mist village headband on her left arm.

She glanced toward him and blushed a bit. He smiled slightly. She stopped when she was right next to him, "Hey…"

"H-hi…"

They stood in awkward silence for a moment before she spoke again, "So, you're from Konoha, hm?"

"Yeah…I-I'm only here for today…I have to go back tomorrow."

She giggled at his nervousness, "You're cute you know that?"

"You really think so?"

She smiled and nodded, "Yeah," She giggled again, "I know it's not customary…but would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"

His eyes widened, "Yeah! Sure!"

"Kay. I'll meet you at the front entrance after the matches!"

"Right.." He watched her as she went back to the stadium, then he realized something, "Ah! I forgot to ask what her name was!" He sighed, "Oh well, I'll find out later.

A few hours later the matches had ended for that day. Iruka slowly walked out with the huge crowd, a little nervous about meeting with his mystery girl. He noticed her standing by the entrance, she fidgeted impatiently.

He strode up to her, "Hey."

"Hi!" She grinned, "In the rush earlier…I…um…forgot to get your name?"

"It's Iruka. Umino Iruka."

"I'm Nekosura Hirako." She turned, "Shall we go?"

Iruka didn't answer, he was too captivated by her beauty. She looked over her shoulder, "Iruka?"

"Oh, hm?"

"Let's go."

"Right."

- - - -

She led him to a restaurant with a bright colorful sign above the door, but she dragged him inside too quickly for him to read it. They sat down at a small table in a dark corner and a waitress walked over to them, she looked exhausted, "What can I get for you?"

"Two specials and a bottle of Sake!" Hirako said, without missing a beat.

"Right….Right…" The waitress said as she lurked away.

Iruka looked around. The inside of the restaurant was dimly lit and a bit run down. A large white haired man sat at the bar. He was surrounded by women and looked like he'd had a few too many drinks.

The man glanced in Iruka's direction, 'Isn't that Iruka? What's he doing in a place like this..?' he thought. The he shrugged it off, "Hey! Barkeep! 'Nother Bottle!"

Hirako looked at Iruka, "Is something wrong dear?"

"No, I've just never been to a place like this before." Just then the waitress came back, put two plates down in front of them, slammed down the bottle of sake, and walked away.

The plate had a large pile of noodles with vegetables and meat mixed in. Hirako poured him some sake, "Drink with me?"

"Oh, sure." He said taking the cup from her. He downed it quickly. It burned a bit going down, but he didn't mind.

- - - -

A short while later they had finished the bottle of sake and were laughing hysterically. Iruka's scarred nose was now a shade of bright red.

Hirako stood up, "C'mon Iruka, Les go."

"Go where?"

"My Plase of course." She staggered to the door. Iruka stood up, almost tripping over his own feet, and finally got to the door.

They held onto each other for balance and made the short trip down the street to Hirako's house. It was very small and dark.

"Here we are."

They stumbled up the small flight of stairs and inside the door where Iruka fell down. Hirako laughed so hard that she fell down right on top of him. They lay there like that for a moment, staring at each other. Then Hirako gave him a quick childish kiss. Iruka was shocked for a moment, "What was that for?"

"I told you, you're cute." She kissed him once more, deeper this time. He grabbed her around the waist, "Well you know what?"

"Hm?"

"You're cute too."

- - - -

The next morning he awoke with the sun in his eyes. He was laying on a cushy futon with a very colorful blanket covering him. He rolled over to se Hirako curled up next to him, there was a small black cat sleeping on her pillow.

It took him a moment to remember why he was there, "Oh god…" He whispered. Hirako slowly awoke and looked at him, "Good morning, Iruka." She smiled sweetly at him. She smiled back, then noticed the clock on the wall, "Nine o' clock! I'm gonna be late!" He jumped up, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and quickly threw on all of his clothes.

He was putting his shoes on when Hirako walked up to him, wrapped up in her blanket, "Will I see you again?"

"I-I don't know." He stood, looking into her mesmerizing eyes, "I hope so."

She kissed him, "You'd better get going."

"Yeah."

- - - -

He met up with the Konoha villagers a short time later. He was out of breath from running there so fast. Sandaime walked up to him, "Where were you last night? You didn't come back to the Inn."

"Oh…I found somewhere else to stay." He cleared his throat.

Sandaime knew he was hiding something but didn't want to push it, "Alright everyone! Let's go!"

- - - -

I know it takes off a bit slow here in the first chapter, but it get's better and more flowy as it goes on. -


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It had been almost a year since Iruka had seen or heard from Hirako. He was making his way home after a long day of teaching. The warm air swirled around him, it was very hot that day but now that it was evening it was starting to cool down a bit.

He walked to his apartment and he noticed a piece of paper on the door waving in the breeze. He picked it up and quickly scanned through it. His eyes widened as he read more and more, "Hirako…"

The letter had in it some pretty devastating news. He wasn't sure what to do at first; the only person he could think to tell was Sandaime. He was sure he'd understand.

- - - -

He knocked on the large decorative wooden door of Sandaime's office. He was getting a bit nervous about going inside. He heard a muffled "come in" and did so.

"Ah, Iruka. What a pleasant surprise." He motioned for him to sit down and he did, "Now, what did you need to see me about?"

Iruka didn't know where to start, so he just handed the letter over to him.

My Dearest Iruka,

I know it's been awhile, but I have some news. We have a child. A little girl as a matter of fact. She was born just 2 days ago. I've named her Haruko. I need to meet with you around midnight tonight at the border of your village, I have a request.

That's all I can write for now,

Haruko

Sandaime was speechless. He had crumpled up the paper in the process of reading it, "You know…I never expected something like this," His voice was strangely calm, "but it happened…so we have no choice but to meet up with her."

"We…sir?"

"Yes, I'll go with you just in case."

"Yes sir.."

- - - -

Iruka and Sandaime had made it to the appointed meeting place a bit early. The full moon lit all of the surrounding trees in an eerie blue light. The air was hot, thick with no breeze. It was almost frightening just to stand there.

A sudden rustling in the bushes made them both jump as Hirako stepped into the moonlight. In her arms she held a small bundle, "It's nice to see you again, Iruka." Her hair was messy, and her eyes were puffy and red, as if she'd been crying. She walked over to him and handed over the bundle.

He looked down at the baby. The moonlight lit up her pale skin so it looked as if it were glowing. Wisps of dark blue hair poked out of her head. She slowly opened her emerald green eyes. Sandaime looked at her over Iruka's shoulder, "Yep, she's yours alright." He patted him on the back, a proud grin on his face. Iruka handed Haruko to him, then turned back to Hirako, "You had a request?"

"Yes…" She said wiping her eyes, "They found out at the hospital that she's not a full blooded Mist Shinobi…" She looked at the ground, "I'm afraid that if she stays with me…she might be killed."

"You want us to take her?" Sandaime piped up.

"Only if you're able to…I'd protect her with my life, I just don't know if that would be enough.."

Sandaime handed Haruko back to Iruka, "We'll take her…and we'll do our best to keep her safe."

More tears welled up in her eyes, "Thank you…" She bowed deeply, "I will find some way to thank you…someday." She kissed Haruko on the forehead and Iruka on the cheek, then turned, "I must go now, they probably followed me here. Farewell Iruka, until we meet again."

And she was gone into the night.

- - - -

She walked through the Mist village gates just shortly before sunrise. The fog was thick and the air was heavy and cold. She had gotten just past the gate when she was restrained from behind, "Wha!"

The Mizukage walked out of the fog, "Where's the child?"

"She's gone, somewhere safe from you."

He pushed her back into the stone wall, "She was ours! She was going to be a very important test subject!"

"What!"

He took out a large vial, it was full of a swirling, bubbling black and purple material. It looked almost as if it were trying to free itself.

"That's…"

"Right, the Jinchuuriki. The one that's been in our village for generations. She was the perfect medium, now we have to take extra steps to get her back." He choked her, digging his nails into her throat until it bled, "You are a traitor, you'll never see the light of day again." He let go and she fell, but was caught by a blonde haired hunter nin, "Jin…" He said to the blonde boy, "I want her taken care of."

He took his mask off, his eyes were the same as Hirako's, "But Sir!"

"I don't want to hear your excuses! What better way to test your loyalty than to kill your own sister?"

Jin hesitated for a moment, then tossed Hirako over his shoulder and took her away. The Mizukage looked into the vial, "Worry not, you'll have a body soon enough."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next three years went by quickly. Everyone was suspicious when Iruka brought a baby back to the village with him, he simply told them she'd been abandoned and he didn't want her to die. Only two people really knew the truth, Sandaime and Kakashi.

Haruko sat on a hillside in a meadow. Yellow and pink flowers blew around her in the breeze. She was wearing a long orange dress and had her hair all up in spiky pigtails.

"Haruko-Chan!" A voice yelled from behind her. She turned to see Sasuke running toward her, "Sasuke-Kun." He skidded to a stop next to her and sat down. He took something out of his pocket, "My dad gave this to me." He held out a shriuken, "Neat huh?" She took it from him, "Wow." She spun it around on her finger, making a slight cut on the one next to it. She ignored the cut completely, "Cool!"

Just then a cold dark shadow fell over them. They looked up to see Itachi looming over them, "C'mon Sasuke, it's time for dinner."

"But Itachi-Kun!"

"Mom told you it was almost time to eat when you left."

Sasuke sighed and climbed up onto Itachi's shoulders, "See you later Haruko-Chan." Itachi patted her on the head and they walked off. She looked down to realize that she still had Sasuke's shriuken, "Oops.."

- - - -

She was walking back to Sasuke's house when the sunny day suddenly turned very dark. Thick black smoke covered the sun. She turned to see a raging fire in the distance, "Wha..?"

Sasuke's dad ran by, Itachi was trailing behind him. He stopped when he saw her, "Haruko, What are you doing out here!" He picked her up, "C'mon, I'm taking you to your dad." He sped off.

- - - -

He got back to Irkua's place as quickly as he could. Haruko jumped from his arms and ran over to him, "Daddy! What's happening?"

"It's okay sweetie…" He hugged her close to him and started to run toward the shelters.

A large nin dressed all in black with flowing black hair and a mist headband on his arm blocked his way, "You aren't going anywhere. You have something we want." Iruka held Haruko as closely to him as he could, "You can't have her!" He turned and was immediately surrounded by Hunter nins.

The Mizukage walked into the group of Hunters and up to Iruka, " Hand over the child…"

"I'll never hand her over to the likes of you!"

The Mizukage nodded at the large bulky nin. Iruka suddenly felt as if his heart and lungs were being squeezed by an icy hand. He dropped to the ground, releasing Haruko. She rolled to the Mizukage's feet. She tried to get back to Iruka but the Mizukage picked her up. He jabbed her in the back of the neck, rendering her unconscious. She fell limp in his arms.

"Ha-ru-ko…" Iruka forced out.

The Mizukage gave Haruko to a Hunter nin with short blonde hair, "Take her back." He and a couple of others left.

"No! Haruko!" Iruka yelled after them. He tried to get up but the Mizukage pushed him back down, "It's too late now boy, she belongs to us."

- - - -

The blonde hunter took Haruko to the hospital in the Mist. A nurse led him back to the room where the procedure was to be done.

He laid Haruko down on her stomach and bound her hands and feet in place. He slowly removed his mask, revealing a handsome face with clear blue eyes. He knelt down next to her bed, "I'm sorry little one. If It was up to me…I wouldn't have let this happen…" He sighed, "Your mother tried to keep you safe and lost her life for it, seems that it was all for nothing…"

Just then the door burst open and the Mizukage walked in. Jin stood up.

"Good Jin, You may go now."

"But sir, please…"

"You have the potential to sabotage this, go now."

"Yes sir…" He left the room shutting the door behind him, then sat down just outside.

The Mizukage lifted the back of Haruko's shirt and ran his fingers down her spine, "The Jinchuuriki." He instructed. A nurse handed the Vial to him. He removed the cork and purple chakra started to flow out, "Patience now…" He put the vial down next to Haruko and cut open one of his fingers, blood began to drip onto the floor. He placed his cut hand onto her back, then made several seals with his other hand. The contents of the vial began to gather around his bleeding hand. When the last seal was finished, the substance was forced into her back, leaving a large round seal. Her back was red, as if the skin had been scraped off.

The Mizukage was exhausted. Sweat ran down his face and his breathing was extremely heavy.

"Are you alright Mizukage-Sama?" One of the nurses asked him.

"Yes…Don't be worried about me. Once she awakens we'll start with the genjitsu." He left the room.

- - - -

It took several hours for her to wake up, but when she did the Mizukage was right there hovering over her. She was a little groggy but that didn't matter to him.

He forced her to sit up and look into his eyes. The room around her slowly went black. Voices and pictures filled her head, "You're parents are dead because of you!" A voice shouted, along with an image of her parents lying in a pool of blood.

"You only belong in the mist."

"They're all against you."

He kept going until he bent her will to what he wanted it to be, "Finally, after all these years…you're mine…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It had been six years since the events of the short lived battle between the Mist and Konoha. Haruko had been in the shinobi academy for five years now and was the top student in her class. Many of the students in her class where jealous of her. They hated her for not being truly full blooded mist and getting as far as she had in the academy.

Only one person in her class made any effort to be friends with her. A boy named Toushi. He had short silver hair, always brushed and styled just right, with deep black eyes. He wore a red t-shirt with elbow length fishnet under the sleeves, and black shorts with knee length fishnet under them. He was a good three years older than her. No one in her class was less than that.

She walked into the crowded classroom. As soon as she closed the door they all went silent. They stared at her with anger as she went to her seat at the back of the room and sat down.

Toushi was the next to walk in with another boy named Akira. He had long shining black hair that covered his girlish face. His eyes were deep, black, and full of hatred. He wore a white shirt with extremely long sleeves; they had fishnet patches on them, and black pants.

He left Toushi's side when the got into the room and went to sit as far away from Haruko as he could. Toushi walked up the stairs and sat in the seat next to Haruko, "How're the arms today?"

She looked down at her arms, they were bandaged from her hands to above her elbows, "They're fine…" She said coldly.

"What's with the attitude?"

"Sorry…" She looked around the room, "It's just that the thought of being put into a team with any of these people…well…sucks."

"Maybe you'll get a lucky break." He smiled.

The students all rushed to their seats as their instructor walked in. He was a tall stern man with slick black hair pulled into a ponytail. His face was covered in long jagged scars, "Today you'll be taking your final tests. If you pass, you'll graduate and go on to be a shinobi." He cleared his throat loudly, "I'll call you into the back room one at a time, I hope you're all prepared." He picked up a stack of papers and called the first student back.

Haruko waited her turn. The room slowly emptied, no one returned after their tests. She was one of the last to be called in.

She walked into the back room where several instructors sat at a long table. She stood there, shifting nervously back and forth,

"So Haruko, I see your grades are top notch."

"Y-yes sir."

"Then this test should be simple for you." He cleared his throat, "Your test will be…" He pointed to a dark area of the room, "…To kill them." A huge group of 30 or so shinobi swarmed into the light. Their eyes were blank and lifeless. The instructor leaned on his hands, "Go on."

She took out a kunai and ran into the crowd, the instructors watched intently. Before they knew it she had killed them all before the first one had even hit the ground. She wiped a bit of sweat off of her forehead as they fell to the floor and turned back to the instructors.

"Very good…" He said to her a bit awe struck, "It appears the Mizukage was right about you." He picked up a headband and etched a fifth symbol into it then held it out to her, "You've earned the true assassin's mark, and graduated." He tossed it to her and she caught it, "You'll be put into a team and go on your first mission this afternoon, please prepare." She nodded and walked out.

She went out into the rare sunlight, tying her headband around her neck. She quickly found Toushi, he was wearing his on his head, but just a little off center, "You graduated, nice job." He said smiling. She leaned back against a tree, "And now to find out which of these jerks is on my team."

- - - -

After they had all eaten lunch their instructor walked out and looked over the group, "We have decided upon the teams. After I name them off you are to meet with your sensei to discuss your first mission." He lifted his clip board and began to list off the teams.

She ignored him until she heard her name called, "Team six: Haruko, Toushi, and Akira…"

A chill went up her spine. Toushi glanced at her, "Sorry Haruko, I'll try to keep him under control." Akira walked over to them, his eyes piercing through Haruko, "I never wanted to be teamed up with you, but I'll deal with that later." He smiled, a frightening smile, his girlish features stuck out a lot more when he did this, "We have a mission."

They wandered around a little until they came across the man that was supposed to be their sensei. He stood leaning on a tree reading a small book. He wore a black sweater with black pants, there was wrapping around his left leg. He had short brown hair covered by a bandana headband. His blue eyes sped over the pages of the book; two long jagged scars traced his cheek.

He noticed them standing there and looked up over his book, "You're my team are you?" He put his book away, "I'm your sensei, Niku." He growled, "I won't go easy on the three of you, I hope you know that." He stopped when he saw Haruko's headband, "You're an assassin, hm?" He paused, "How old are you?"

"E-eight, sensei." He put his finger on the assassin mark and pushed her down, "You're no assassin." Akira laughed so hard he started choking and Toushi jabbed him in the ribs. Haruko struggled back to her feet. Niku cleared his throat, "Now, we have a mission, lets go."

- - - -

The next chapter is the last jump in time before the story really gets going. So yeah.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Three years later Haruko was sitting in the darkness of the Mizukage's office. He sat at his desk, surrounded by Hunter-Nins, "You seem to have gotten yourself up to the A-rank missions, and have not failed one." He said in a dark voice, looking pleased, "So I'm giving you a mission that only you will go on."

Haruko was sitting on a chair, leaning on her bandaged arms. She wore a black t-shirt with a fishnet shirt underneath with sleeves that went past her hands. She wore black pants with fish netting just above the knees. The bangs of her dark blue hair hung down in front of her face covering her eye completely on the left side, the rest pulled back into a spiky pony tail with 2 kunai sticking out of it like hair sticks. Her emerald green eyes ripped through the darkness at him, "Well, what is it already?"

"At least you're eager," He cleared his throat, "You're to travel to Konoha, there is a scroll there, full of their village secrets. You're mission is to acquire it and bring it back here to me. Our spies tell me that it's under heavy guard in the tallest building in the village."

"Right," She stood up, "I'll be off then."

"Just remember, Haruko, what will happen to you if you fail me."

She turned away from him and stood for a moment, "…right…" She walked out.

That evening she was just outside the Konoha gates. She was sitting in a tall tree surveying the village. She could easily see the Hokage's tower from where she sat, "Well, that'd be the tallest one." She stood up, but before she could go anywhere she heard loud voices below her. She looked down to see three kids about her age. A blonde boy with an orange jacket, a girl with short pink hair, and a boy with black hair wearing a blue shirt with a fan on the back. The black haired boy stopped for a moment and looked up in her direction, "Hmmm…"

"Sasuke-Kun!" The girl shouted to him. He looked away and walked after the others.

"Shit…that was close…" She hopped over the village wall and onto a roof on the other side. She jumped from roof to roof until she got to the tower, where she found a small trap door at her feet, "Lucky."

She lifted it off and dropped down into a dark windowless room. There was another trap door in this one, but it was hard to see in the darkness. She quietly pulled it open to reveal a short staircase below. She moved silently down and came to a doorway that lead into a brightly lit hall. She jumped up onto the ceiling and clung there, then slowly made her way down the hall looking at all the signs above the doors.

Finally she came to one labeled "Scroll Room". She dropped to the floor and pushed the door open. The room was huge. It had a wooden floor in the center that was surrounded on all sides by water. There were shelves with hundreds upon hundreds of scrolls on them. As she walked in she noticed a huge glass case with a gigantic scroll inside, "That must be the one…" It was almost as if she was drawn to it. She touched the case; the glass was incredibly cold for being in the heat of the room. Her fingers made the glass steam up. The case was sealed tightly on all sides; she looked around it but could see no weaknesses.

She took one of the long thin kunai out of her hair and jammed it into the seam between the top and side panel and pried them apart. She peeled off the side panel and set it gently on the floor, careful not to make a sound. She carefully pulled out the scroll. It was incredibly heavy; she was barely able to swing it up over her shoulder.

Just then she heard voices outside the door. Her eyes widened, "Shit." She looked around and dashed behind a nearby shelf. Two shinobi came inside. They walked for a few steps then stopped. There was no sound for a moment, and then the door slammed shut.

She peeked around the shelf once to see that she was once again alone in the room. She took a quick look around and noticed yet another trap door above a nearby shelf. She climbed up onto the shelf and pushed it open. As she pulled herself up the shelf tipped over, spilling scrolls all over the floor and into the water below. She crawled back into the dark room and could see the outside light from the roof trap door.

- - - -

Tsunade had gathered all of the Anbu and Jounin in the village, "Someone has stolen our forbidden scroll, our village secrets are in danger! Go get it back, no matter what the cost! Go!" She dismissed them and they dispersed.

- - - -

Haruko sat on the roof of the tower looking through the scroll. She was so fascinated by it that she couldn't resist, "Wow, look at all these techniques the village has banned." A shout from below her snapped her out of her scroll reading trance. She looked down to see a group of Jounin standing there. A bit of panic struck her, she should've been out of there by now. She quickly rolled up the scroll and took off.

The darkness of the village seemed to be enough to cover her at least long enough to get out of the village. She stopped on the wall to see someone standing there. A tall Jounin with silver hair stood there, he held a book in one hand. He glanced up at her and just stood there for a moment, seemingly shocked, "You're just a kid…"

"_Just _a kid!" She took something out of her pocket, "Just for that you don't even get to try." She slammed what she had into the ground and it exploded in to swirling purple smoke.

"Just a smoke bomb." He said as he ran into the woods after her.

Haruko sped off toward the village border, "Hey! Stop!" A voice yelled from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see the Jounin right on her heels. She sped up a bit more.

The Jounin stopped, "I guess I have no choice, sorry kid." He pulled four kunai gently out of his pocket, carefully adjusted them in his hand, and tossed them swiftly toward her.

They slammed into her right shoulder, "Huh, he actually hit me, oh well." She ran for a bit longer until her legs collapsed beneath her and she fell from the high forest branches. She clawed at the bark of a tree trying to get her chakra to stick, but she ended up slamming into the ground.

She pushed herself up, her right arm was completely numb and the numbness was spreading. The Jounin walked up behind her, "You're a strong one."

"Poison, hm? How clever." She smirked. She stood up and started to pull the kunai out of her shoulder one by one. Her legs were barely able to hold her up,

"So you can still stand."

"Of course I can," She crossed her arms, "You think a little poison could stop me?"

Then he noticed something, "The scroll…Where is it?"

"Scroll? Whatever are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that shit! Where is it!" His temper was beginning to get the best of him. He grabbed his headband and pulled it up, revealing his scarred sharingan eye.

"Sharingan..." Haruko whispered. She started to back away, "Shit…"

"You're a Kage Bushiin!" He growled, "Just a stupid diversion!" He ran up to her and tried to slice her but she dodged out of the way and tripped him instead. He caught himself and grabbed her throat, "Tell me where the scroll is, now!"

"Or what? You'll kill me?" He tightened his grip but it didn't phase her in the least, she just laughed, "By the time you're done with me, that scroll will be looooooooooong gone." He grabbed a kunai and slashed her across the chest. She exploded into thick purple smoke. He quickly put the kunai away and continued in his pursuit.

- - - -

"Looks like he made it through my distraction. Better move along." Haruko said as she started running again. She was nearly to the Konoha border when something hit her from above. She stopped on a rather thin branch and turned around. An Anbu jumped onto the branch in front of her, and one behind. She sat down on her branch, "Now fellas, can't you just let me go? You wouldn't want to hurt an innocent child now would you?" The Anbu didn't speak, but moved very quickly toward her.

She jumped up, dragging a long shiny piece of wire along with her. They landed on her branch and she wrapped the wire tightly around them. Then landed on another branch, "My, Konoha fighters are soft." She said as she continued on her way.

- - - -

A short time later she was just at the border of Konoha. The sky was starting to lighten up, "It's almost dawn, I'd better get over the border before that or I'm screwed." She picked up her speed just slightly.

Suddenly she noticed something, something shiny on one of the branches in front of her. She wasn't sure what it was, but she had an idea. She quickly swung down so she was now running on the underside of the branches.

Just then she felt her foot snag on something. It wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down so she was swinging upside down by one foot. The scroll, still on her back, was now hanging down below her head.

"Yatta! I did it!" a voice yelled. The blonde boy she had seen earlier came out of the brush below her, "I caught her!" He danced around foolishly.

"Lucky you…" Haruko said sarcastically, "Dumb luck captured me…" She scowled at him as the light breeze blew her back and forth. The four kunai were still in her arm, dripping blood onto the ground below her.

The boy climbed the tree to the top of the rope and looked down at her, "So, what's your name?"

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

"Sure!" He struck a silly pose, "Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha!"

Haruko sighed, "Oh please."

"And your name is?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"But…You said…"

"I said what?"

"Um…Uh…Argh!"

"Awful quick tempered now aren't we?" She said as she started to cut the rope with one of the kunai from her hair.

"Hey! Cut that out!"

"You think I'm just going to stand here and let some amateur shinobi taunt me?" She hacked at the rope some more. It started to split and unwind. Shortly after she had freed her foot and was jumping down.

She landed with a soft thud and stuck her tongue out at Naruto, "You're as foolish as they all say." She adjusted the scroll on her back and prepared to take off when another young shinobi stepped out in front of her.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled at him. Obviously jealous that he'd stepped in. Sasuke glanced up at Naruto, then back at Haruko, his black eyes full of anger, "Your journey stops here."

"I think not." She took a step toward him, then stopped. She couldn't move, "What the hell!" Sasuke took the opportunity to rush toward her, pushing a kunai into the side of her neck. She fell over backward, pulling him down along with her. He landed sitting over her holding onto the kunai.

Blood began to trickle out of her mouth, "My…You seem to be pretty good…" She put her hand over his, he tensed up a bit. She squeezed it, "If you want to kill me though…You'll have to do better than that." She forced his hand back, ripping the kunai from her flesh. She rolled over and forced herself to sit up, her hand over the bleeding hole in the side of her neck. Blood stained the collar of her shirt and sleeve. It was streaming down her left arm, staining the bandages there an ugly dull pink.

She struggled to her feet and smirked at him, "What's wrong? Afraid to kill someone are you?" She formed a handful of long sharp ice needles, "Regardless, I'm not." She threw them and they hit his torso in various places, causing him to fall down on one knee. This pain was all too familiar, although this time, it was to kill him.

"But you see," Haruko started, "I like to make my kills slowly." She towered over him. Terror filled his eyes. If he didn't do something quickly, he'd be killed for sure. He quickly opened his sharingan, which caused his cursed seal to open.

A momentary look of shock overtook her face, but it passed quickly, "Good, this'll be interesting." Sasuke stood up and rushed at her. She stepped out of the way. He turned around and grabbed her arm, flipping her over onto her back. He stomped down on her ribs, she could feel them snapping beneath his foot. She grabbed his leg and pulled him down. She jumped back up into the tree, knocking Naruto onto the ground. Sasuke glared up at her and followed.

He had just gotten her backed up against a tree trunk when she grabbed his ankle and tripped him. He lost his balance. As he began to fall she grabbed his throat, pushed him down, and they both slammed into the ground below.

When she looked back at him, his cursed seal was closed and he was out cold. She stood up and loose dirt fell off of her clothes. Naruto ran up to her, "How the hell did you do that?"

"Do what?" She said, brushing some stray hairs out of her face, "I suggest you stay out of my way weakling."

"Weakling!" He rushed toward her, she easily hit him in the back of the neck, knocking him onto his face on the ground, "You're too weak to kill me, don't even try." She turned her back on him for a moment when something hard hit her in the back of the neck. She stood there for a moment, then turned around, the Jounin had returned.

She tilted her head to the side, "Finally found me, hm?"

He glared, "You go no further than this."

"C'mon old man, you can't stop me."

"I bet you can't even move right now."

"Wha…?"

"Those kunai. They were coated in a very potent poison. I'm actually surprised you're still standing."

Her eyes narrowed, "You bastard!" She started to slowly back up. He made a few quick seals with his hands and took out a scroll that he put his blood onto and she was then held fast. She looked around to see she was being held there by several large dogs, their teeth dug into her arms and legs. She struggled to free herself but it was no use. The Jounin put his hand down toward the ground and it started to glow blue with a whistling chakra. Haruko struggled even more,

"You plan to kill me then?"

"No…" He said in his blank bored voice. He lifted his hand and ran toward her. It struck her chest with tremendous force. He quickly backed off and the dogs disappeared as she fell limply to the ground.

He walked over and knelt down next to her, "Poor foolish kid." He grabbed the scroll and picked it up along with her. He took the scroll off of her back and tossed it over his shoulder. Sasuke and Naruto had just begun to get up. He turned to Sasuke, "You alright?"

"Mm…" He nodded.

Naruto noticed Haruko's limp body under his arm, "Kakashi-Sensei! Did you kill her!"

"No, but she will die if we don't get her back to the village."

"But won't they….?"

"I don't know." He tossed the scroll to Naruto and put Haruko over his shoulder.

- - - -

Iruka waited, on Tsunade's orders, at the village gates. He paced back and forth, starting to wonder if the others had been killed or something. Just then Kakashi ran through the gates and stopped next to Iruka. Haruko's hair had fallen over her face and blood oozed from her mouth and landed with a soft 'pat' on the ground, "I'm to take her from here Kakashi."

"Right." He said slipping her off of his shoulder and handing her over to Iruka. He took her and started to walk away, "Be careful of her Iruka." He nodded and walked off.

He looked down at her. The way he was holding her the hair fell out of her face. The sunrise lit up her pale skin. Her long dark eyelashes twitched as her eyes moved beneath them. The bright red blood really stood out against her skin. Her mist headband, worn around her neck, had slid off to the side, and the metal plate was splattered with blood.

Sadness crossed his face, "You…You're her…aren't you?" He sighed as he walked into the hospital. He took her to the front desk where a medical Nin was sitting, "Um…This is the girl that tried to steal the scroll." The medical Nin walked out from behind the desk she was actually very short. She gasped when she saw the bloody child in his arms, "Oh my…" She paused and cleared her throat, "Come this way, we've prepared a room. The Hokage will be taking care of her."

"Well, if anyone can keep a criminal under control, it's her."

They turned into a small room with one small window. The small bed had arm restraints on it, "Go ahead and lay her down Iruka dear." He did so and the medical Nin snapped the arm restraints in place and took out a needle. She stuck the needle into her arm and drew out some blood, then looked up at Iruka, "You can go now, we'll take it from here." He hesitated for a moment, then left the room, shutting the door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Tsunade was sitting in her office doing some testing on Haruko's blood. She had just put a droplet of something in it when she noticed that it had changed colors, "What…no way." She did a few more tests to confirm her findings and she was completely shocked at what she found, "Shizune, go get Iruka."

- - - -

Iruka slowly followed Shizune into Tsunade's office. She sat at her desk looking sternly at him, "Sit down, please." She said gesturing to a chair in front of her desk. He sat down and Tsunade tapped her fingers together, "I've found out something interesting about that girl."

He swallowed, "Oh?"

"Her DNA matched up with yours. She's your daughter."

"I thought so." He looked at the ground.

"Y-you what?"

"Well, um…"

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Sarutobi-Sama told me to keep it a secret…I didn't want the whole village to know what I'd done…"

"It's alright Iruka; you won't be punished for this." She picked up a large book, "What's her mother's name?"

"Nekosura Hirako…from the mist…"

Tsunade let out a choking cough, "The mist! Could you have done anything more dangerous!" She sighed and flipped through the pages until she came across the name, "Nekosura Hirako, died eleven years ago, two days after her daughter, Haruko, was born. She was branded a traitor before she died." She cleared her throat, "Not the luckiest child is she?"

"She's…Dead?" He put his head in his hands, "She's been all alone all this time…"

Tsunade closed the book and pushed it aside, "Look, she's still young. She still has a good chance to start over. If she agrees to stay in this village for the remainder of her life, she may be forgiven for taking the scroll." Iruka's eyes lit up, "But," She continued, "She will be put into your care and supervision, understood?"

"Yes, of course, Tsunade-Sama."

"You should go and see her, but beware. She may be under genjitsu, don't strain her too much."

- - - -

Iruka was sitting in a chair next to Haruko's bed as she began to stir. He rushed over to her side. She blinked her green eyes a few times, trying to focus on him, "Who…"

"Don't speak, you're lungs have been damaged. I'm Iruka; you're in the hospital in Konoha."

Her eyes narrowed, "Konoha!" She tried to get up but Iruka held her down,

"Calm down, Haruko."

She stopped and stared into his eyes, "How do you know my name?"

"Well, I…I'm…It's not important right now." He sat back down in the chair.

"It is important!"

"No, what's important is you're getting healed up."

She sat up and glared at him, "Tell me, now."

Iruka leaned forward in his chair, remembering Tsunade's warning but wanting to tell her anyway, "I'm…your father."

She looked stunned, "But that…my parents were killed."

"Only one of them."

She began to feel dizzy, "Why would they lie…?" She put her hand on her forehead, "Ugh...My head…" Iruka walked back to her bedside, not quite sure what to tell her, but knowing now that she was definitely under genjitsu, "Lay down." He said, helping her to do so. She looked up at him; her eyes were completely different, almost scared, "What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know." He lied, "On another subject, the Hokage has agreed to let you live…if you agree to stay in our village."

She glanced quickly at him, "You really think it's that easy? They'll hunt me down like a dog if I don't go back."

"But you'll be killed for sure if you do go."

She shuddered at the thought, "I'll think about it." She rolled over, "Maybe."

- - - -

A week later Haruko was about to be released from the hospital. Tsunade was sitting at the edge of her bed; she had just brought her some new clothes, which she had changed into. A purple t-shirt, with the same black fishnet beneath the sleeves, and some black Capri pants. She had even been given her own Konoha headband, but wasn't able to actually take it unless she agreed to stay, "I need to know if you're going to stay here or not."

Haruko turned to her, "I think I will stay…for awhile."

Tsunade was pleased with the answer, she really didn't want to have to throw a child into the prison, "Good, then I'll go and make sure there's a place for you to live for the time being. You'll need to be patient with the other villagers. It may take them awhile to get used to you."

"Right…" She turned to the window. The bright warm sun streamed in. The light breeze blew around her shiny hair. Her hair was styled the same as it had been even with the kunai sticking out.

Tsunade walked to the door and opened it, "You should get yourself acquainted with the village, you'll need to know where things are." She pried her eyes away from the window and followed Tsunade into the hall.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Haruko had been in the village for about a month now. Most everyone had gotten used to the idea of her at least being there. Tsunade had given her her own headband and, just like her other one, she wore it around her neck, the shiny metal plate reflected brightly from the sunlight.

She had recently started taking walks in the woods outside the village. She liked being able to go out into warm clear days. The mist was always so foggy and cold.

She was making her way back to the village one day when she heard a loud rustling in the tree branches above her. She stopped for a second, the sound stopped when she did, "Hm...Must be a bird." She kept going, a bit faster this time. No one would attack her in broad daylight, right?

The rustling started up again, it almost seemed to be following her. She picked up her pace and was right in front of the village gates when someone jumped down in front of her. A silver haired Hunter Nin. Haruko backed into a tree, "You're here to take me back I assume?"

"No," he said, removing his mask, "I have to kill you…"

"Toushi…"

He looked awful. His always nicely brushed hair was all messy and matted. He had dark circles around his puffy eyes, like he hadn't slept in weeks, "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

"Well, pretty worried by the looks of you." She said with coldness in her voice, crossing her arms.

"What the hell happened?"

"I was caught, wounded, and brought back here," She turned, "I agreed to stay."

"So you're a traitor?"

"Oho, big talk." She turned her back to him, "If you're going to kill me, you'd better do it."

Just then one moment she was standing there, just fine, the next blood was flying through the air. It hit the open gates of the village and splattered on the trees around them. She put her hand on her chest, blood was pouring from it. She fell to her knees, coughing, "That…was fast…"

Toushi stood in front of her, "You're my best friend, I can't let you die slowly now can I?"

He knelt down and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, "You know, I always thought you deserved to be the best shinobi in the village. Now I'm not so sure." He slammed the blunt end of his kunai into the side of her face, breaking the bone next to her eye. He picked her up by the face and slashed her once across the throat, then he dropped her. He looked down at her curled up body and something told him to stop, "I-I can't do it…" He pulled her up into a standing position, "I'll tell them I couldn't find you…" He dropped her again and she curled up into a heap on the ground, "I have to give this village a good show though." He grabbed her arm and dragged her off to the side into the wooded area, staining the grass with blood. He hid her in the trees and turned, "You're lucky this time. Next time you may not be." Hi disappeared into a mass of bubbles.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Iruka was starting to worry. Haruko had left early that morning and it was now starting to get dark out.

Just then Sasuke ran by him. He went out into the woods just past the gates when he saw all of the blood from the earlier massacre. He looked around and saw the bloody trail leading into the trees, "The hell?" He followed the trail to find a curled up heap of Haruko lying in the bloodstained grass. He knelt down next to her, the blood staining his hands and knees, "Haruko?" he said, shaking her a bit. Her eyes popped open; they were full of absolute horror. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was just Sasuke, "Wha…?" She started, but he wouldn't let her finish, "What the hell happened?"

She pushed herself up, "Hunter…Nin…" Blood dripped from her wounds and soaked into the ground.

"Lay down!" He demanded, helping her to lay back down, "Don't get yourself all worked up." He laid her head in his lap so that she might be a little more comfortable. She rolled over and coughed some blood up out of her lungs, staining his shirt, "Shit…" She whispered.

Sasuke didn't know what to do, then he remembered passing Iruka on the way, he could only hope he was still there, "Iruka!" He yelled as loud as his voice would carry. A moment later Iruka came out of the gates and followed the blood trail back to where Sasuke and Haruko were.

He nearly passed out when he saw her, 'what happened?' was written all over his face.

"It was a Hunter Nin," Sasuke told him before he could say anything, "She needs medics, go get them!" Iruka nodded and ran back to the village at full speed, somehow managing to compose himself enough to not pass out.

Sasuke looked down at Haruko, "You'll be alright."

"Yeah…Right…" She said, blood trickling down her chin, "Why do you care anyway…? You don't give a rat's ass about people…"

"It's just…you remind me of someone." He couldn't bear to tell her the truth, not right now anyway.

Iruka got back with a small team of Medical Nins. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw her. Sure they had seen wounded Shinobi before, but never such a young child. They gently put her up onto the stretcher they'd brought with them and rushed her to the hospital.

Sasuke just sat there, staring down at his blood soaked clothes.

"You remember her don't you?" Iruka asked.

"How could I forget her…She was my best friend..." He was obviously upset by the whole experience. Iruka put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, "Don't worry, I'm guessing she'll be alight."

- - - -

Haruko was put into a private room on the first floor of the hospital. Tsunade had done all that she could for her and had declared that it was "up to her to survive now". She had been spending most of her free time in her office figuring out how to break a genjitsu.

Iruka was sitting at the edge of Haruko's bed while Sasuke stood in the corner on the other side of the room, "You know Sasuke, you don't have to hide in the corner."

"I'm not hiding." He said, a cold tone in his voice.

Just as he'd finished speaking Haruko began to stir. Sasuke ran across the room to her side. She blinked her eyes a couple of times, the one that had been hit by the kunai was partially swollen shut, "Am I still alive…?" She whispered.

"Somehow, yes." Iruka replied.

She looked over at Sasuke, "Thank you, Sasuke-Kun…"

He slowly nodded in reply, wondering whether, in the back of her mind somewhere, she remembered him too.

- - - -

That night Haruko was left alone in her dark room. She was kept awake by all of the pain she was in, and just seemed to be tossing and turning, which was pretty hard with her injuries.

The large window in her room had remained open on her request, the cool breeze and the sounds of a distant thunderstorm where comforting. The moonlight was streaming in and making pools of light on the floor, only to go away when a few stray storm clouds momentarily blocked out the moon.

She closed her eyes, listening to the thunder in the distance when a loud creak echoed through her room. Her eyes popped open and looked frantically around the room. It was pitch black, the dark clouds had picked this moment to cover up the moon. A flash of lightning struck and made her jump a little.

A few seconds later the clouds had passed again to reveal a silhouette sitting inside her window, "Who…who's there?"

"It's me Haruko…" He said, as the moonlight reached his face and lit it up.

"Niku-Sensei?"

He jumped down onto the floor, "You dare call me sensei? Oh well…at least they haven't tampered with your precious memory."

"How did you find me…Toushi…"

"He was obviously lying! He was covered head to toe in your blood!"

"Well…he did kinda do a sloppy job…"

He grabbed her by the throat, holding her tightly there, "You know, I was sent here to take your head back to the Mizukage." He picked her up and dragged her out the window, ripping several IVs out of her arms, "Let's take this outside."

He dragged her into the street and tossed her down, "Stand up! I didn't train you to be a coward! I trained you to fight for your life!" She pushed herself up, just barely able to keep her balance, "You're the coward. Coming after a wounded child."

"Oh please. I wouldn't call you a child, you've killed just for the sheer thrill. Now fight me! I will at least give you the honor of trying to fight before I kill you."

She stumbled forward a few steps, but was way off balance and didn't even come close to hitting him. He picked her up by the throat again, "You foolish girl." He swung his arm back, preparing to stab her with a kunai when a hand grabbed his wrist, "Drop the girl." A woman's voice commanded him. He dropped Haruko and turned around. There stood a very pissed off Kurenai.

"Well, hellooooo there." He said, drooling over her.

"Don't talk to me like that you pervert!"

"How bout you fight me then, hm?"

"I was planning on it."

They ran at each other, Kurenai slashed Niku across the throat and he sliced her shirt open in the front. She quickly covered her exposed chest, "You bastard!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She pushed a kunai, and her arm as well, through his chest. She tried to hold up his dead weight but it was too much and she fell over backwards, Niku's face in her chest, "This is heaven…" He said just before drifting off. She quickly pulled her arm out of his chest and pushed him off.

"Hey, what's going on, I heard a commotion." Someone said. She turned to see Asuma standing there.

"Kurenai? Are you alright?" He helped her up.

"Yes, I'm fine…" she said, completely forgetting about her shirt being all ripped up. Asuma stared at her, wide eyed, "What's wrong with you?" She asked him. Then she remembered, "You pig!" She said punching him in the face. She turned and walked off toward her apartment, holding the front of her shirt closed.

Asuma looked stunned for a moment, then looked at Niku's limp body, "You're one lucky bastard to die that way." He knelt down and noticed a long bloody trail leading away from the scene, "What the..?"

He followed it into a dark alley where he found Haruko sitting against the stone wall. She had her arms wrapped around her chest, blood was pooling around her arms. She looked up when Asuma walked into the alley, "Is he…dead…?" She asked between gasps for air.

"Yes," He helped her up, "Let's get you back to your room…"

- - - -

Okay, I have decided that from now on until my story is done I will limit myself to one or two chapters a day. If I strain myself too hard they're going to get sloppy and I don't want that to happen. So just look for at least one new chapter a day until the end of the story.

Thanks to all of you who have reviewed my story, and please keep 'em coming.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was another month of painful recovery before Haruko was able to leave the hospital. She was walking around town when she ran, literally, into Tsunade.

"Oh, Haruko. Just the person I needed to talk to."

"Me?"

"Yes. Since you weren't brought up here, I'm going to put you onto a three man team with two of our recently graduated Genin."

"Sounds…Fun…" She said, quietly.

"Look, I just want to make sure that you get this experience, it's good for you." She paused for a moment to look at a piece of paper she was holding, "Now, you're to meet with your team in ten minutes at the east end of the training grounds. Don't be late; your Sensei doesn't appreciate lateness."

"Yes Ma'am…"

"Good, I'll check on your progress later. Good luck." She walked quickly away.

"Ugh, how dull…" She said as she slowly made her way to the training grounds.

- - - -

When she got there the eastern gate was locked up. So she crawled through a small opening in the fence near the gate. It seemed to be completely silent and empty there, "Something's not right…" She said, looking around.

A loud whirring sound suddenly filled the air. She jumped up and clung to the underside of a low lying tree branch. Thirty or so kunai kit the ground where she had just been standing. She jumped up to the top of the branch as some more hit the tree, "Hey!" She yelled, getting impatient with all of this, "What the hells going on here?"

A guy jumped down onto her branch. He was a rather tall Jounin. His hair was black with a streak of silver in the front, styled a bit like Kakashi's. He wore his headband over his eyes.

"Hello there."

"I take it…you're my Sensei?"

"Good guess." He snapped and two girls jumped down to the ground from surrounding trees, "I'm Jaku," He pointed to the first girl, "This is Kaoki…and her bear Bei Bei."

She bowed. She had long seafoam green hair partially pulled into pigtails; the rest fell over her shoulders, her eyes were a watery blue. She wore a pink tank top with an orange skirt (Like Sakura's) with pink shorts underneath. Her shoes matched her unique hair color. She also held a teddy bear with a mask (Like Kakashi's), one eye, and a headband of its own.

"And Tomaru."

The second girl nodded. She wore a short sleeved tan jacket with a very high collar and black Capri pants. Her black hair was shoulder length and her eyes were covered by rectangular black sunglasses.

"Everyone sit down," Jaku instructed, "We're gonna have a chat."

- - - -

They were soon situated. Haruko sat on the tree branch while the other two took places on the ground, "Alright," Jaku started, "You are my team. You were all chosen to be put with me specifically. Our missions will be tougher than regular missions a Genin would go on, so more will be expected of you. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, Sensei." They all answered.

"Wonderful, then prepare. The Hokage has given us a special mission. We'll be apprehending a small group of Mist Ninja spies that have been spotted near the Konoha border. We'll be leaving at sunrise so that we can get the jump on them. You're dismissed for today. I'll see you all tomorrow." Haruko was happy to have a mission finally, but something about this seemed awfully strange.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning they had gathered at the village gates to wait for Jaku. The sun was rising more and more and he still wasn't showing himself, "What a time to be late." Haruko grumbled.

"We'll just have to be patient." Tomaru said in her calm subdued voice.

"Yeah, Patient." Kaoki repeated, stuffing a piece of a chocolate bar into her mouth. She was sharing it with her teddy bear that now seemed to be very much alive.

Jaku walked up to them a few minutes later, looking exhausted, "You just woke up didn't you?" Haruko demanded.

"Yeah." He yawned, "Sorry about that. Let's get going."

They were nearly at the boarder late that morning. Jaku stopped and turned to them, "We're almost there, so I'll tell you the plan now. Haruko, you'll be the main attacker, since you grew up there and would know more about their attack patterns. Kaoki and Tomaru, you're backup, and I'll help out where I can." The three girls nodded.

They moved forward until they could see the small campsite the mist villagers had set up. Only a couple of them seemed to be awake. One was a tall boy with long black hair and a very long sleeved white shirt, "Akira…" Haruko whispered, starting to back off a bit.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Jaku asked her.

"Oh…Nowhere…" She said.

"Good, now this seems like the perfect time to go, with only two of them awake." Haruko nodded, braced herself, and walked through the bushes into the camp site.

Akira turned quickly as soon as he heard the rustling, "Well well, if it isn't the traitor." His cold black eyes stared unblinkingly at her, "Come to stop us did you?"

"That's exactly what I came for." She said. Clenching her fists.

He grinned, "I've been waiting for this. I was hoping you'd be the first one to see my new technique."

He ran up to her and disappeared. She turned just in time to block a kunai from going into her back, "I know all of your moves, Akira."

"You only think you do." He said, forcing her back. She slid back and caught herself. She ran back at him and punched. The force of the punch made a thin cut on his face and chopped off a bit of his hair.

"My hair!" He screeched. His eyes narrowed and his hair began to grow very long.

"You can make it grow now!"

"That's not all…" It started to wrap itself around her arms and legs.

Jaku told the other two girls to make their move now; some of the other villagers were starting to wake up. This would be a good time to attack.

Akira bound Haruko's arms to her sides, "Maybe I'll kill you today." He said as he completely bound her in shiny strands of black hair. He tightened it around her, it began to cut into her skin and smash her body, "You like it? It's my new jutsu." He grinned as he smashed her even more, "My bloodline is so fun…"

Kaoki and Tomaru ran around the outside of the campsite, picking off the other mist nins as they went.

The air started to fill with loud cracking and crunching sounds, "Ha, there go your bones." Akira said, laughing his evil little laugh, "I always knew you were weak." She struggled around a bit, trying to free herself, but he just held her tighter, "You should know me better than to let you go like that." He reached some of his free hair out to either side and grabbed one of each Tomaru and Kaoki's arms, "Leave them out of this!" Haruko demanded. He wrapped more hair around her throat, "Shut up already." He squeezed, somehow, even tighter. Her eyes widened as he crushed her bones and organs.

The other two tried to free themselves but just ended up getting their arms broken instead, "Bei-Bei! Do something." Kaoki yelled, but to know avail. He was bound too.

Just then Haruko was dropped to the ground, still wrapped tightly in now cut off hair. Jaku stood in front of her, "None of them are dying today."

Akira tossed Tomaru and Kaoki, "And neither am I…" He said as he disappeared along with the campsite, leaving behind only his wounded comrades.

Jaku knelt over Haruko and felt her pulse, "Is she alright?" Kaoki asked.

"I think so." He pulled the hair off of her, "Grab a couple of those he left behind for interrogation and lets get out of here."

- - - -

Haruko awoke hanging over Jaku's shoulder. Her vision was blurry but she could tell that her teammates held a couple of mist nins with them. She blinked a couple of times, but was only awake for a moment before drifting off once again.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

They took her to Tsunade as quickly as their feet would take them. She quickly put her hands over her to assess the damage that had been done, "Good Lord! Shizune!"

"Hm?" She said looking up over her cup of tea.

"Go prepare a healing seal! Immediately!"

She dropped her cup of tea and ran from the room as the cup shattered on the floor.

"I shouldn't have sent you…"

Jaku shook his head, "It was a good learning experience for them. They did need to learn that this kind of thing could happen to them."

Tsunade stood up, "We'll need to get some of the medical nin's and get her down to the seal right away."

Jaku threw Haruko over his shoulder and took her down to the room to wait for Tsunade.

She came down a few minutes later with a group of the best medical nins she could find. She pushed open the large doors to the room and walked inside. Haruko lay in the center of a gigantic seal in the dimly lit room. Her hair fell sloppily over her eyes and her mouth was open slightly.

The medical team took their positions around the seal and placed their hands on the floor in front of them, "You all keep her as stable as you can while I do this," Tsunade instructed, "You must concentrate on that while I place her bones back into position, understood?" They all nodded and Tsunade knelt down next to Haruko, "Here we go…"

Jaku, Kaoki, and Tomaru sat outside the room, waiting on any news about their wounded team mate. Both Kaoki and Tomaru had one arm in a sling. Iruka paced nervously up and down the long hall, "What's taking so long…" He muttered.

"You should sit, Iruka." Jaku said, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. Iruka opened his mouth to say something just as the door to the seal room swung open.

Tsunade staggered out, a sad, yet horrified look on her face. She cleared her throat, "Iruka…I need to speak with you…" She led him a little way down the hall, away from the earshot of the others, "We were able to fix most of her injuries…but in my hastiness to finish, I'm afraid I've made a terrible error…"

"What?" Iruka said quickly.

"The chakra point in her left shoulder…I've caused it to over fill…and explode…"

"Bu…wha…?"

"That arm…Unless we can find some way of repairing it…may end up being useless to her as a Shinobi."

Iruka fell to his knees on the cold floor, "So she can't get any chakra to that arm at all?"

"I'm afraid not…"

Hi slammed his fist into the wall, "SHIT!"

Tsunade turned to go, "We'll be taking her up to a room shortly…you should probably come stay with her…"

"Right…"

- - - - - - - - - -

A few hours later Iruka was sitting at Haruko's bedside. Tsunade stood with her hand on his shoulder. A huge black bruise was spreading from the burst chakra point and down her arm.

She dug her hands into the mattress as she opened her eyes. Tsunade and Iruka leaned over her, "Haruko…" He said his voice a bit shaky.

"W-what's happened….My arm…"

"It's alright Haruko," Tsunade lied, "There was a small complication, but everything will be okay." She walked quickly out the door and into the hallway, followed closely by Iruka, "Why'd you lie to her!"

"There's no point in worrying her. In her condition it would only crush her. I'm going to ask the Hyuuga family if there's anything they can do to help her," She sighed, "Keep an eye on her, hm?"

- - - - - - - - -

A few hours later Jaku walked into Haruko's room. No one else seemed to be there at the time. She opened her weary eyes and looked at him, "What…is it Sensei…?"

"They've taken Akira captive," He sat down, "He tried to sneak into the village. They took him to a holding cell until they decide what to do with him. I just thought you might like to know."

"R-right…" She winced.

"Are you alright?"

"It's just…my arm…" The bruise had spread down to her elbow.

"Should I go get the Hokage?"

"N-no…It's alright…I just need to…rest…" She closed her eyes.

"I'll leave you alone then." Jaku said, and he quickly left the room.

Haruko opened her eyes again. They were a kind of light purple color. She slowly sat up and put her hand on her head. Pain swelled up there, "What's happening to me…?" She put her hands to her mouth, "Fangs…?" She rolled out of bed and managed to get to her knees before a sharp pain ripped through her skull, she grabbed her head, "AHHHHH!"

The door swung open, and Genma, who was keeping guard of her room, ran in. He stopped when he saw her glaring up at him, "Wha…?" She sprang up and tore through him with two kunai she'd been keeping concealed. He fell limply to the ground and Haruko made her escape out the window of her room.

- - - - - - - - -

Akira sat in a small cell, staring between the thick bars. A shadowy figure walked in front of his cell, "I see you couldn't stay away." He said smugly.

Purple eyes glowed in the darkness, "You'll pay boy…This body deserves vengeance…"

- - - - - - - - -

"Time for your medicine, Haruko!" Tsunade said. As she walked into the room she dropped the bottle of medicine. It shattered on the floor, "Genma!" She knelt down, "What happened here?"

"Ugh…Something happened…to Haruko."

"Haruko?"

"Her eyes….they weren't hers…"

- - - - - - - - -

Haruko slammed Akira against the back wall of his cell, "I'll kill you for what you did to this body."

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Akira yelled. She closed her clawed hand around his throat. In desperation he grabbed her arm with his hair and pulled it back, leaving bloody claw marks on his neck, "Who the hell are you!"

Her eyes glared, now even deeper purple than before, her pupils had thinned to cat slits, "You don't deserve to know."

- - - - - - - - -

"I think I know where she went," Jaku said, "I told her where Akira was being held."

"Oh god…" Tsunade whispered.

- - - - - - - - -

Haruko had gotten her hands back around Akira's neck and he was back against the wall, which was now cracking around him.

Suddenly she was yanked backward. A pissed off Tsunade held her tightly in place. Akira fell limply to the floor.

Haruko fought like crazy to get away from Tsunade, "Let me go!" She hissed.

"I think not." She slammed her fingers into her back, causing her to fall to one knee. Then took out a large needle and stuck it into the back of her neck, injecting a clear bubbling liquid. She knelt there on the floor for a moment, seemingly stunned by what had just happened, then fell forward, unconscious, onto the cold stone floor.

Tsunade picked Haruko up, then turned to Kakashi who had gone there with her, "Put Akira in the prison. And make sure they keep a close eye on him."

Kakashi nodded and a couple of other Jounin rushed in. Tsunade made her way back to the hospital with Haruko.

- - - - - - - - -

That's chapter 11. Sorry it took me so long to update! I just had a really severe case of writer's block, but the last few chapters will be up soon!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Tsunade had been in her office for days trying to figure out what had happened to Haruko. She slammed a book shut, "Why can't I find anything about this!" She opened another book to the middle of it and there was a picture of a large and strange seal, "Hm?" Her eyes scanned the page, "Nekomi Demon? A junchuuriki? Four tailed demon cat, terrorized the mist village for ages until she was sealed away eight years ago…She was put into the body of a young child who will hold her for the rest of her life.." She closed the book, "Haruko…"

- - - - - - - - -

Haruko opened her eyes to a blurry room. A had touched her arm, "Haruko-Chan?" Naruto said in a worried voice. Her arm almost burned where he touched her. She snapped it back, "What's going on..?"

"You're in your…hospital room."

"You hesitated."

"I-I did not." He turned away from her, trying to hide a pained look.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Well…there was an…Incident."

"Wha-."

"Just calm down, I'll tell you…"

- - - - - - - - -

Haruko lay wearily in her hospital bed after the confrontation with Akira. Her mind was restless and her back was hurting her, almost like it was burning. She rolled over onto her side, "Ugh…"

"The door…" A voice whispered. She looked around, the room was completely empty, "Go to the door…" The voice said, louder this time, a low raspy his. A sharp pain began to weave its way through her head. The room began to spin around her. She rolled off the bed onto the cold hard floor, ripping IV's out of her arms, leaving thin trails of blood on her arms, "KILL THEM ALL!" The voice screeched. She screamed and dug her fingers into her skull, as if trying to get to her brain.

Raidou and Kotetsu, who were now on guard at her room, ran inside only to see her sitting there on the floor with her eyes closed. Complete silence filled the small space.

"Haruko?" Raidou asked cautiously. She slowly lifted her head, her eyes still closed. He leaned down, "Are you okay?"  
Her eyes suddenly popped open to reveal large deep purple cat slits. Raidou backed away a bit, but was hit under the ribs with a kunai before he could get out of her reach. Kotetsu ran quickly into the hall with Haruko hot on his trail.

He slipped around a corner and slammed right into Tsunade, "What are you running from so quickly?"

"It's Haruko, something strange has happened to her…"

Naruto came out of one of the rooms wondering what all the commotion was about just as Haruko ran passed him, leaving a large and deep cut across his arm.

Haruko walked around the corner and looked right into Tsunade's eyes. Terror ripped through her. She did the first thing she could think of and flicked Haruko's forehead, sending her flying into a wall. She quickly sank down to the floor.

Tsunade walked slowly toward her, half expecting her to jump back up, but she just lay there in a heap on the floor. Tsunade noticed that her back was exposed a bit and a strange seal had been planted there.

She knelt down and put her hand over it. It felt hot and had a sort of ashen texture, "It's like a burn…" She turned to Kotetsu, "Take her to another room, one where she can be quarantined and watched at all times."

- - - - - - - - -

"So now you're in the quarantined room, and they aren't gonna let you leave until they figure out what's wrong with you."

"What the hell…" She sighed, "What's happening to me…?"

Just then Tsunade walked in with Neji trailing nervously behind her, "Good, you're awake," Tsunade said, "Neji needs to have a look at your arm."

"Oh…alright…"

Tsunade held Haruko's arm out and Neji walked over, "Byakuugan." He ran his fingers up her arm, "I may be able to fix it…You'll have to prepare a seal though."

"Right, it'll be done shortly, please prepare for it."

"What's going on!" Haruko demanded.

Tsunade looked down at the floor, "I haven't been completely honest with you. I've caused one of you chakra points to completely explode."

"Wha…I…"

"Neji is going to try and fix it, but we don't know how well that'll work."

She started to sit up, "Why the _hell_ didn't you tell me this!"

"Haruko, lay down."

"No!"

"You have to calm down, you're wounds aren't completely healed yet!" She forced her back down onto the bed, "Neji, we'll prepare the seal as quickly as we can. Will you watch over her until we're finished?"

"I suppose so. It'll give me a chance to examine her chakra flow so I don't mess it up…"

"Good, I'll return when we're ready for you." She quickly left.

Neji gently picked up her arm, "Byakuugan." He watched the chakra flow through her body, "Your lower arms only have one working chakra stream through them…" He looked a little closer, "Scar tissue blocks all the others…What happened to you?"

She angrily yanked her arm out of his grip, "Nothing."

They spent the next few hours in silence until Tsunade walked in, "It's time now kids." Neji stood up nervously and Tsunade picked Haruko up.

- - - - - - - - -

The seal was a huge black and green yin yang, much like the 64 points seal. Tsunade sat Haruko in the center of it and she nearly fell over, "I'll need a clear shot at the chakra point. Someone'll need to help her stay sitting up straight."

Tsunade motioned to Kotetsu and he walked over to her, "Keep Haruko sitting up." He nodded and sat down with his back to her, linking their arms together so he'd keep her sitting. He pulled her shoulders back so the chakra point would be clearly visible. Sweat rolled down her face from the pain.

Neji opened the Byakuugan and put his hand over her left shoulder, "Here goes…" He began the process.

- - - - - - - - -

Haruko awoke laying on her back in her hospital bed. Sasuke was sitting in a chair next to her bed, slumped over, sleeping. She smiled a little. Her arm no longer hurt. She let out a long, drawn out sigh of relief.

A soft knock on the door startled her, "Come in…" She said, her voice a little raspy. Naruto walked in and shut the door behind him, "How're you feeling?" He whispered, not wanting to wake Sasuke, he knew he hadn't been getting much sleep lately.

"Better…How long have I been out for?"

"A week." He laughed, "Tsunade's gonna release you tomorrow."

"Heh, that's great."

Just then Sasuke sprang awake, "Ugh…fell asleep…" He looked over to see Haruko awake and rushed to her side, "Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"Sasuke-kun…I'm fine…"

"Good."

"He hasn't left your side for three days." Naruto Teased.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled, smacking him in the back of the head. Haruko smiled, happy to know that she had people in this village who really cared for her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was a few weeks before Haruko could rejoin her team. The day she did was an unusually cold and foggy one. The early morning sun made the fog glow an eerie orange.

Kaoki and Tomaru stood on the bridge. Jaku had told them they were getting a surprise that morning, "What do you suppose it is?" Kaoki asked excitedly.

"I don't know." Tomaru said flatly, almost uncaring.

Just then a shadow came through the fog. They looked up to see Haruko standing there, "Haru-Chan!" Kaoki squealed, glomping her. The fell onto the bridge, "Welcome back." Tomaru said quietly. Haruko stood up, "Thank you both." She bowed deeply, "It's nice to return to my Shinobi duties."

Just then Jaku walked up to them with Kakashi in tow, "Haruko, I know you were happy about doing a mission with us, but, you have one of your own today."

"Already?"

"Seems so, You'll need to go with Kakashi."

"Fine." She said flatly.

She followed him to the village gates while he told her the details of her mission. And saw her safely off.

She walked slowly through the woods toward the canyon that ran through Konoha. The one with all the jagged rocks on the cliff sides. It had very quickly become a hot and humid morning. By the time she got to the canyon it was so hot, not even the birds were singing anymore. She walked to the edge of the cliff and could see her target watching her on the other side, "Hiding from me are you…Akira?"

"I have no reason to hide from a traitor." He grew out his hair, grabbed a tree branch, swung over, and dropped down in front of Haruko, "So eager to die, hm?"

"Oh, I'm not the one that's gonna die." She got into a very rigid and difficult stance, "Bring it on."

He took out a kunai and ran cautiously toward her. He got the kunai within an inch of her face when he was slammed backward. He slowly stood up, his hand on his chest. Haruko smiled, "How was that?"

"You're not gonna get a shot like that off again." He made a seal and 100 or so kage bunshin's appeared around her, "Such a feeble attempt." They swarmed her and within seconds they were all gone, Akira was sweating and breathing heavily. So was Haruko, only she seemed to be getting tired faster. The heat was getting to her, "That stance must be difficult to stand in for so long."

"N-no."

"If you shift even an inch, you're attack won't be nearly as strong." He backed up a little until he was right at the edge of the cliff. Haruko took this chance to make her final move.

She rushed in front of him and put her finger on his collar bone, "Goodbye, Akira." She pushed him backwards and he fell back over the cliff, "No!" He exclaimed as he reached up and grabbed onto her forehead protector and pulled her over the edge as well, "I'm not going down alone!"

She tried to grab onto the slick rocks but her chakra just wouldn't grab on, "Shiiiiiiiiit!" She screamed as the rock ground got closer and closer. She closed her eyes tightly as the two of them slammed into the ground.

- - - - - - - - -

When she woke up she was laying on her back next to a small stream that flowed through the canyon. Blood flowed into it, making the usually clear water into a very bright red. She lifted her head to see Akira laying at her feet. He had fallen on his stomach, his face smashed into the rock. His cold dead hand grasped tightly to her ankle.

She slowly sat up and pried his fingers off. , then laid back down as her bones made a horrible cracking sound. She rolled over and tried to push herself up when the pain of the fall kicked in. She collapsed, trembling. She started to feel as if this were all just a terrible nightmare. An awful, painful nightmare, "Akira…you bastard…" She whispered.

- - - - - - - - -

Jaku stood at the village gates. The sun was setting and the sky was beginning to get dark. The lights of Konoha began to spill out of the gates onto the ground of the forest outside. Kakashi walked up to him, "Worried?"

"A little. Her mission shouldn't have taken all day."

"Think we should go look for her?"

"Yeah…maybe."

"Right, I'll go find some free teams to help out."

"I'll get mine."

- - - - - - - - -

A short while later they were out with Gai's team searching for her. Neji was searching around the canyon. He looked over the edge and saw two bodies lying on the ground below, "Oh…"

He carefully made his way down and ran over to Haruko's body. He put his hand on her forehead she was unconscious, "Haruko?" He shook her a bit, "Wake up…" She didn't even flinch, "Gai-Sensei!" He yelled. His voice echoed through the canyon and the woods above.

A second later Gai was standing behind him and spotted Haruko. He looked up to the top of the cliff and back at her, "She must've fallen." He quickly knelt down and felt her pulse, "It's weak, we have to get her out of here."

"How…"

- - - - - - - - -

Jaku sat down under a tree, sadness on his face, "Something horrible must've happened."

"C'mon Sensei," Kaoki said, holding out her bear, "We'll find her."

Gai suddenly appeared next to him, holding Haruko's limp body, "Let's get going."

Jaku jumped up, "Where'd you find her?"

"…Bottom of the cliff…Let's go…" They all stood stunned for a moment, then made their way back to the village.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Tsunade went to the village gates when she got word of what had happened. She paced uneasily there until they ran up to the gates, "Tsunade-sama!" Kaoki yelled, "Help her!"

"Just lay her down here." She instructed, pointing to the ground. They laid her down don her stomach. Tsunade pulled up the back of her shirt. A huge black bruise covered her back and went down her arms and legs, "Her spine…It's almost completely shattered…" She ran her finger down her spine and over the seal on her back, "She's going to need emergency surgery. I'll take her up to the hospital, you all go find Iruka." She gently picked up Haruko and cradled her in her arms, "What're you waiting for! Go!"

- - - - - - - - -

Several hours later all of them were sitting out side the room. Neji sighed and looked down at the white tile floor, "What's wrong Neji-kun?" Lee asked.

"Just worried…she was in pretty bad shape…" He replied in a whisper.

- - - - - - - - -

Inside the room Haruko was hooked up to various machines. An oxygen mask was over her nose and mouth. They closely monitored her weak heart beat.

Tsunade stood over her, using a powerful healing Jutsu, "It looks like her heart and lungs were damaged in the fall as well." Just as she said this Haruko's pulse began to slow down, "Oh god, Shizune! We're losing her!" Shizune ran over to her but by the time she got there it was too late. Haruko's head rolled to the side, "Hell no!" Tsunade screamed, "I won't let this happen! Not to a child!"

Suddenly a smoky purple aura surrounded Haruko's body and she slowly opened her eyes. They were a deep purple with cat slits, "You-re…the Hokage…right…?"

"Yes…Nekomi?"

"Mm….can." She paused to take a gasp of air, "Can you…save this fragile body…?"

"…You can't…?"

"No…The damage is…too extensive…"

"If you can keep her alive, I'll to my best to repair the damage."

"I'll do my best…" She said closing her eyes, "…but you must work…quickly…this body won't last much longer…"

Tsunade put her hands on Haruko's back and Shizune hovered hers above her heart and lungs. They worked as quickly as they could without causing any further damage. A short while later her heart began to beat again. Tsunade sight with relief as she finished adjusting Haruko's spine, putting all of the pieces of bone back in place.

She slowly backed off as she finished, "We did it Shizune, we saved her…"

"Yes Tsunade-Hime, You should go tell the other's that she's alright, I'll make her more comfortable."

"Right…Thank you, Shizune."

- - - - - - - - -

Everyone looked up as she walked into the hall, "We've saved her life Iruka. You can come and see her now. The rest of you should go home and get some sleep…It's been a difficult night for everyone."

- - - - - - - - -

It was three weeks before Haruko even woke up. She awoke to soft rain against the window of her room. She was still hooked up to many machines, including the oxygen. Naruto stood over her, "Haruko…" His eyes were full of deep sadness, "I have some bad news for you…"

"Wh-."

"You're not supposed to talk…" He sighed. His bandaged face was so terribly sad, "Sasuke…he's…gone."

Her face changed to instant shock, "He went with Orochimaru…" He paused, "I tried to get him back…but…failed…" It obviously pained him to talk about it. She put her hand on his, "Don't worry…" She whispered, "You'll get him back…"

"Thanks Haruko…" He stood up, "Neji hopes you get better soon."

"Thank him for me…"

Naruto turned to the door, remembering the condition Neji was in, "I-I will…" He forced out, "I have to go now…S-see ya…" He walked out into the hall.

Haruko looked up at the ceiling, "Sasuke-kun…I'll find you…If it's the last thing I do."

- - - - - - - - -

That's the end of this one. Part 2 will take place after the 3 year time jump. Please let me know what you think of the story as a whole. Thank you, and I hope your read my other fics (I'm working on a bleach one too) and enjoy them all


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